COMSTOCK PARK — Alex Burgos is fitting in quite well in the West Michigan Whitecaps’ starting rotation.

The 20-year-old lefty from Kissimmee, Fla., has made an immediate impact since joining the club June 5 and has emerged as the Whitecaps’ most consistent starter.

Burgos is 5-1 with a 1.91 ERA and will start the second game of tonight’s doubleheader against the Lansing Lugnuts after Wednesday’s game at Fifth Third Ballpark was postponed due to rain.

“My expectations were I wanted to have success, but I was a little nervous when I got here because I was coming off an injury,” Burgos said. “But once I started doing well, my standards have gone up, and I want to do better.”

Burgos, a fifth-round pick by the Detroit Tigers in last year’s draft, missed the first two months of the season after developing bicep tendinitis in his throwing arm during spring training. He said the rehabilitation process went well, and he feels no ill effects from the injury.

“The rehab has helped me a lot and I came back stronger than ever,” he said. “I’ve been really happy with the way I’ve pitched, and I can’t complain. I feel good.”

Burgos is 4-0 in his past six starts, and has gone at least five innings in seven of his eight starts. He has recorded 47 strikeouts and walked only 15 batters in 47 innings.

Burgos’ lone loss came June 15 in a 1-0 defeat at Bowling Green, when he tossed seven strong innings and allowed only three hits.

“He shows a lot of confidence on the mound, and I like the way he goes out and competes,” Whitecaps pitching coach Mark Johnson said. “He is going out and giving his best effort each game, and has had good results each time.”

The 5-foot-11 Burgos mixes up his pitches well and keeps hitters off balance. He throws an assortment of pitches, including a two-seam fastball, change-up, curveball and slider. He is working on adding a cutter to his arsenal.

“My mindset out there is just to throw strikes, and if they are going to get on, let them get a hit,” Burgos said. “I hate walking people more than giving up a home run, and so I try to mix my pitches.”

Johnson said Burgos’ array of pitches are important to his success.

“When you have more than one pitch, and you have a secondary and third pitch, you have more weapons,” Johnson said. “He hasn’t deserted any pitches that he has thrown, which you see young pitchers do sometimes.”

The Whitecaps (16-14, 48-51) are 1 ½ games behind the Great Lakes Loons for the final second-half playoff spot, and Burgos said the Lansing series is a critical one.

“This is a big series, and we have to start with this one,” he said. “Lansing is a good ballclub, and I think this is our first step in trying to make the playoffs. We don’t want to be the team that doesn’t make the playoffs.”